Chapter 77 Encountering the Buddha Head Again

Pan Miaoqian took a deep look at Pan Yueqing who was sitting on the other side of the carriage. She hardly expected that it would be so easy to get Pan Yueqing to ride in the carriage going to His Highness's polo match. Recalling that when they went to pay their respects together at Ci'an Xuan yesterday, she had just casually mentioned that the eldest sister of the Marquis Pingnan's residence had received an invitation to the polo match hosted by His Highness and had come to the mansion to ask if her sisters were interested in going.

Unexpectedly, Pan Yueqing took out a bright invitation from her sleeve, turned her head and smiled at her father, "I was just about to mention this. His Highness sent someone to deliver the invitation to me this morning. I was just wondering if my two younger sisters would like to go." Not only did she fail to gain any good impression of being magnanimous in front of her father, but Pan Yueqing even received praise from their father.

Pan Yueqing raised her eyes from the orchid embroidery sachet that Gu Pan had just embroidered yesterday and placed on her lap. She happened to meet Pan Miaoqian's inquiring gaze and smiled, "Is there something uneven with the powder on my face? Why do you keep staring at my face, sister?"

Pan Miaoqian forced a smile and shook her head, "No."

Pan Lianshan beside her tilted her head in confusion. She sniffed the scent on Pan Yueqing and leaned closer with a smile on her lips, "I feel... The powder on Second Sister's face is just like the goose egg osmanthus honey from Tianxiang Pavilion."

"It is the goose egg osmanthus honey," Pan Yueqing smiled. Her eyes casually glanced at Pan Miaoqian and Pan Lianshan, and then turned towards the outside of the carriage. Osmanthus fragrance lingers longer, so it is often added to the face powder, making it fragrant but not vulgar, rich but not overpowering.

When Pan Lianshan heard that she had guessed correctly, she smiled even more happily. She bent down and picked out a piece of candied apricot preserve from the dried fruit box in front of her and held it up to Pan Yueqing, "Second Sister, I asked someone from the front yard to buy this yesterday. It's said to be a new way of eating in the Eastern Market. It's sweet and sour. Try it!"

Pan Yueqing looked at the sticky and sweet - looking apricot in Pan Lianshan's hand and smiled, gently pushing it away with her hand, "I'm afraid of sweet things. You can have it."

The carriage slowly stopped, and Luo Shui's voice came from outside the carriage in a low tone, "Miss, Hetian Horse Field has arrived."

Pan Yueqing nodded with an "mm" sound. She bent down and took the lead in lifting the curtain that blocked the wind. She tightened the collar of her clothes and, with Luo Shui's help, stood firmly on the ground. She looked around at the newly opened "Hetian Horse Field" in the suburbs of the capital. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and with a lake near the mountains, the wind here was even stronger than in the capital.

"A Yue!" Li Shuran's heroic voice came from afar. She was riding a tall horse. Her sleeves were tied up behind her with sleeve ropes, revealing her smooth arms. Her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and her flowing hair fluttered in the wind. She stopped three steps away from Pan Yueqing. Her smile froze slightly when she saw Pan Miaoqian slowly getting out of the carriage.

"Why did you bring her here?" Li Shuran grabbed the reins, leaned down and beckoned to Pan Yueqing. When Pan Yueqing approached in confusion, Li Shuran's low voice came mixed with the unique smell of hay on the horse, "Didn't I write to you not to bring Pan Miaoqian?"

"It's not that I can just decide not to bring her," Pan Yueqing lowered her voice and walked forward three or four steps on her own. "Even if she didn't come with me, she could have come with the wife of the Marquis Pingnan."

Li Shuran dismounted from the horse. Pan Yueqing raised her eyes and smiled playfully, "Wait a minute, Sister Shuran. I remember this is a polo match hosted by His Highness, right?" The smile on her face couldn't be suppressed any longer. It sparkled in her eyes like morning stars, and she asked curiously, "Did it work out?"

Li Shuran reached out and covered Pan Yueqing's mouth. She frowned, but a smile involuntarily appeared on her lips. She was a bit shy and annoyed, "It's not certain yet! He... The Emperor... The Emperor sent someone with the birth dates. My mother originally didn't want to agree, but after having them calculated..."

"What happened?" Pan Yueqing's eyes lit up too. She hoped for Li Shuran's happiness more than anyone else, and she knew deeply that if Li Shuran married Qi Simeng, she would definitely be happy. She took Li Shuran's arm and smiled, "Did they say you're a perfect match? Right? Right?"

Li Shuran blushed and nodded slightly. Then she covered her face with a "Oh!" and ran dozens of steps away, even leaving behind her favorite horse. Pan Yueqing looked at her and a smile appeared on her lips, but tears welled up in her eyes involuntarily. Sister Shuran, you will surely have a harmonious marriage and grow old together.

"What are you laughing at? You look like a fool," A cool voice of a young man suddenly came from behind. She turned around and saw Qi Sian standing behind her in magnificent clothes. He glanced at her slightly and looked past her at Li Shuran who was calling Pan Yueqing. Although his face was still cold, a smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth, "I heard that's my future sister - in - law."

"Your Highness, Prince Xiangyang."

Before Pan Yueqing could answer, Qi Simeng came riding slowly with his hands behind his back. Qi Sian looked up and saw Qi Simeng dismounted from the horse, bowed slightly to Qi Sian, and said a few polite words typical in officialdom. He looked towards the tent stand in the middle of the horse field in the distance, "The Empress Dowager has already arrived. Let's go and pay our respects first?"

Qi Sian nodded. His status was indeed higher than that of the other princes. Although he was younger, he calmly accepted Qi Simeng's courtesy. With his hands behind his back, he took a deep look at Pan Yueqing and said loudly, as if not knowing who he was talking to, "Let's go."

"Madame Zhao has also arrived. Second Miss, you can come along too," Qi Simeng said politely.

When they were only five steps away from the Empress Dowager's seat, they saw Lai Changya sitting upright beside the Empress Dowager in a light yellow brocade robe. Princess Shang'an, Qi Wanxi, raised her eyes and smiled at Pan Yueqing.

"Wanxi, who is that?" The Empress Dowager was chatting happily with Madame Zhao. When she saw a young woman following behind Qi Simeng and Qi Sian, she vaguely thought she resembled an old acquaintance. She smiled kindly and asked.

"Don't you remember her?" Qi Wanxi blinked and played a trick.

"Your servant, Pan Yueqing, pays her respects to the Empress Dowager," Pan Yueqing followed behind Qi Sian and the others, slowly stepped onto the stand. After Qi Sian paid his respects, she gracefully knelt down and saluted, "May the Empress Dowager be blessed with all happiness."

The Empress Dowager looked at Madame Zhao, then at Qi Wanxi who was holding back a smile, and suddenly realized, "It's Yue girl! In the blink of an eye, you've grown up so much? Come, let me take a look at you." She beckoned and pulled Pan Yueqing, who came closer, to sit on the footstool. She stroked her face and smiled, "So nice. You're looking more and more like your mother!"

Pan Yueqing smiled and chatted with the Empress Dowager about some daily matters. Three drumbeats sounded on the horse field. Looking in the direction of the drumbeats, on the reward platform was the white jade Buddha head that she had seen a few days ago! The moment the Empress Dowager saw the Buddha head, Pan Yueqing felt that the dignified old woman under the long robe was slightly trembling.

She instinctively looked at Qi Sian. Qi Sian stood there respectfully, looking straight ahead. Perhaps he sensed Pan Yueqing's gaze. His eyes slightly moved and then he closed his eyes slightly, indicating that Pan Yueqing should not act rashly.